Drying-kiln.



No. 783,222. SPATENTED FEB. 21, 1905. J. H. REGAN.

DRYING KILN.

APPLIOAIION FILED no. a, 1904.

2 8EEBTBSHEET 1.

WITNESSES IN VE N TOI? A TTORNE Y PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

J. H. REGAN.

DRYING KILN.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.5, 1904.

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/ N VE N TOP W/ TNE SSE S A TTOHNE Y Patented February 21, 1905.

PATENT @rrrcs.

JOHN H. REGAN, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON DRQYING-KILN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,222, dated February 21, 1905 Application filed December 5,1904. Serial No. 235,531.

To (11 rah/mt it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. REGAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of WVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drying Kilns, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to drying-kilns for lumber, shingles, &c., and has for its objects, first, to provide a kiln in which there is no vent for the air, the moisture being removed from the air by condensation on a metal wall; second, to provide means for keeping said metal wall cool in all kinds of weather, and, third, to provide supplemental means whereby some of the moist air may by carried off without disturbingthe system of circulation of air in the kiln. I attain these objects by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a kiln constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the lower part of the wall. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the wall higher up. and Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the vent-holes.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar. parts throughout the several views.

The floor and lower portion of my kiln is shown in the drawings as resting on'the rows of piles 1, which would not be necessary in cases where the ground is sufficiently firm to support the weight of the kiln. Across the tops of the piles 1 1 place the heavy caps 2, extending across the kiln, and on top of these caps 2 I lay the track-stringers 3, supporting the rails 4, on which the cars of lumber run. The space between the caps 2 I close with heavy planks 5, above which is a small airspace 6, closed with a double layer of boards 7, with a layer of paper 8 between them. Thus I am able to keep out all air from below the kiln, aswell as all dampness from the ground. In some cases where the soil is'very damp a double layer of lumber with paper between may be supported below the planks 5 from joists secured to the piles 1, thus making additional surety that no dampness enters the kiln from the ground.

The walls are constructed in the following manner: The base-pieces'9 are secured on the caps 2, and the main-frame studding 10 extends upward therefrom to the plates 11, which support the roof-beams 12. A runway 13 extends from each of the end stringers 3 to the studding 10 and is adapted'to give access to the cars in the kiln. The inside partitions 14 extend upward from the runways 13 to about two feet below the ceiling and are securely fastened to the inside of the studding 10. These partitions 14 are also made of double layers of wood with paper between in the same manner as already described for the floor. The reason for this construction of the partition 14 is to confine theheatin thekiln proper, as it is desired to keep the space outside of the partition 14 and between the studding 10 as cool as possible. It will be noted that the partition 14 does not reach down to the caps 2 or to the base-piece 9. so that there is free access to the outside of the partition 14 from the space under the cars on the rails 4. T o the outside of the studding 10 is secured the metal wall 15, extending from the plates 11 downward to about the level of the partition 14, where it terminates in a metal trough 16, extending lengthwise of the kiln and inclined, so as to allow the water collected therein to run down and out of the kiln at one end. Below this trough 16 is placed the planking 17, extending down to the tops of the piles 1. A ceiling 18, formed of double layers of wood with paper between, is secured to the under side of the roof-beams 12 and extends between the plates 11 at each side of the kiln. kiln is completely closed by the double flooring, the double ceiling, and the metal walls. To the outside of the metal walls 15 and at points thereon corresponding to the studding 10 I secure the outer studding 19, extending from the bottom of the metal walls 15 to a point about two feet above the plates 11. The hood or roof 20 caps the studding 19 and extends from end to end of the kiln. The outside protective walls 21 are secured to the outside of the studding 19 and extend from the bottom thereof to a point about on a level Thus the 28 and 29.

with the roof. The space between this wall 21 and the metal wall 15 is open to the outs1de air at the top and bottom, but is covered by the hood 20.

The roof 22 of the main kiln is secured to the top side of the roof-beams 12 and is provlded with a trough 23 on each side. The roof 22 extends from the above-mentioned studding 19 on one wall to the other, but does not extend over the space between the wall 21 and the wall 15.

At one end of the kiln is the loading-in shed 24, with a vertically-sliding door 25, and at the other end is the unloading-shed 26, with its vertically sliding door 27, These two doors 25 and 27 close the ends of the kiln.

I find that in drying lumber which is cut thick the amount of moisture in the kiln be- .comes excessive and the walls 15 cannot condense it all fast enough, and I have therefore provided in that part of the kiln adjacent to the loading-in door 25 the series of vent-holes The upper series of holes 28 conslst of boxes or conduits through the walls15 and 21 and are provided-with sliding shutters 30 outside of the wall 21. The holes 28 are preferably placed just above the edge of the partition 14. The lower holes 29 are also provided with sliding shutters 30, similar to those for the holes 28. These holes 29 are made in the wooden wall 17 at points below the basepiece 9 and between the caps 2.

The heating apparatus is indicated in Fig. 2, In which the steam-pipes 31 are shown in section, being supported between the stringers 3 by the caps 2. Any of the well-known heating devices may, however, be used.

My kiln dries the lumber in the following way, the various parts performing their functions as follows: The heat radiated and conveyed from the pipes 81 creates a current in the air, causing it to rise through the lumher, which is on cars on the rails 4:. This air carrles off moisture from the lumber and passes over the top of the partitions 14 and strikes the cold iron Wall 15, on which it condenses the moisture, which'is collected in the trough 16 and conducted out of the kiln. The cooled air then passes under the runways 13 and the stringers 3 and is again heated. It is evident that, it is necessary that the wall 15 be kept as cool as possible, and I have therefore constructed a protecting-wall 21, separated from it by an air-space, so that no heat from the outside of the kiln will affect the wall 15, and, further, so that the heat taken up by the Wall 15 from the circulation of hot air in the kiln will cause a circulation of cold air in the space between the walls 15 and 21,

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. A drying-kiln, comprising a closed 'cham-' ber having metallic side walls, interior partitions parallel with and 'close to said metallic walls but with air-spaces therebetween and being open at top and bottom to the interior of said kiln, and exterior shielding-walls parallel with and close to said metallic walls but with air-spaces therebetween.

2. A drying-kiln, comprising a closed chamber having metallic side walls, interior partitions parallel with and close to said metallic walls but with air-spaces therebetween, and exterior shielding-walls parallel with and close to said metallic walls but with airspaces therebetween and being open at top and bottom to the outside air.

3. A drying-kiln, comprising a closed chamber having metallic side walls, interior partitions parallel with and close to said metallic walls but with air-spaces therebetween and being open at top and bottom to the interior of said kiln, and exterior shielding-walls parallel with and close to said metallic walls but with air-spaces therebetween and being open at top and bottom to the outside air.

4. A drying-kiln, comprising a chamber having metallic side walls, interior partitions parallel with and close to said metallic walls but with air-spaces therebetween, exterior shielding-walls parallel with and close to said metallic walls but with air-spaces therebetween, and controllable vent-holes through said metallic walls.

5. A drying-kiln, constructed with its upper and lower closures of double layers of wood with non-conducting material between, and its side closures of metal; with partitions parallel with and close to said side closures said partitions being constructed of double layers of wood with non-conducting material between; and with exterior shielding-walls parallel with and close to said side closures.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatu re in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. REGAN.

Witnesses:

ELLIS LEWIS GARnn'rsoN, M. A. VAN HOUSE. 

